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Fall 2007 CONTENT 10 Remembering Fay Wray A Seventy-Year Love Affair with New York City. 16 Little Known Museums Discover ships and NYC’s port history at the South Street Seaport Museum. Plus, the New York City Police Museum. 19 Apple Picking in Upstate New York! Grab the family and a basket for a fun day out. 20 Art of the Deal Find out what BIDs are, and how they can help your business and community. 24 PlaNYC - A Greener, Greater NYC An indepth look at Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to take the Big Apple into a more environmental sound future. 32 Business Travelers Guide to NYC Reviews of The Muse Hotel, Eight Mile Creek, The Hourglass Tavern and Japas 38. 40 Fun in NYC for Kids! 6 The Hearst Tower Making Skyscrapers Green with Envy Discover the Greenest Addition to Manhattan’s Skyline Kids are the future, so teach them about the environment at Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment, City Island North Wind Environmental Center, and Alley Pond Environmental Center. More: 14 Shopping Guide in Midtown Manhattan 30 Recreation and Attractions in Manhattan 31 Theater in New York City 42 Kids’ Activity Page EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 DEPARTMENTS Volume 2, Issue 3 - Fall 2007 Consulting Editor: Randal Manthei Freelance Editor: Adam Bible Editorial Intern: Dakota Smith Art Director: Otto Reimer President And Publisher/Empire State Magazine: Randal Manthei Business Developement: Julie Nowicki Production Manager: Mizanur Rahman Circulation Director: Rumman Prodhan Web Development: Randal Manthei Web Design: Nikhil Sheth Graphic Design: Terril Smitz Empire State Magazine 140 West 72nd Street New York, NY 10023 Telephone: 212-724-2213 Fax: 212-724-1359 Email: [email protected] Web: www.empirestatemagazine.com Disclaimer Empire State Magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Empire State magazine is a privately owned corporation. It is not associated with “Empire State Building.” For complete listing of previous and current events for New York City, please visit our website at www.empirestatemagazine.com. We also offer a Do-It-Yourself Travel Brochure, where you can add business, events and more to a personalized guide to New York City. EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 Wood Fired Pizza & Penne Hungry? Try the best in New York Pizza! “A takeout joint in Chelsea that combines [Chef Waldy Malouf’s] love of organic ingredients with his expertise at the wood-burning oven.” - Time Out NY Waldy’s Wood Fired Pizza & Penne features renowned Beacon Chef/ Partner Waldy Malouf’s signature rectangular Five-Cheese Wood Fired Pizzas and scrumptious Wood Roasted Penne and Salads. What distinguishes Waldy’s from hundreds of other NYC pizza shops? Organic flour and yeast from Brooklyn Brewery, which creates a crispy, terrific pizza crust, olive oil from Colavita, the best pepperoni and sausage in the world, from Salumeria Biellese, coffee from Illy Caffe, and ice cream from Ciao Bella. Signature pies include “The Beacon,” with Wild Mushrooms & Onions and Pepperoni, Broccoli Rabe & Fresh Tomato. Specialty pies include Sweet & Hot Sausage with Roasted Peppers and White Clam Pie with Crispy Crumbs. Beer and wine are available; organic ingredients are used whenever possible. Call for take-out and delivery to your home or hotel room. The Hearst Tower Making Skyscrapers Green With Envy W hen the Hearst Corporation wanted to update their building, they wanted to go big, and they wanted to go green. They had long since outgrown their first building, which is landmark site in and of itself. But in the spirit of environmentalism, they not only wanted a skyscraper that could hold the greatest American publishing empire, they wanted it to be earthfriendly. As with all structures, it is best to start with the foundation. In 1928, William Randolph Hearst wanted a headquarters for all his newspapers. He commissioned Joseph Urban, an immigrant architect from Vienna, Austria. Before he built this building, he designed productions for the Ziegfeld Follies and the Metropolitan opera. FEATURE: Hearst Tower Located on Eighth Avenue between 57th and 58th Street His original cast stone facade, a mixture of sand and concrete, was preserved in the new design. Eight allegorical statues, representing Comedy, Tragedy, Music, Art, Industry, Sports, The Sciences and Printing were placed along its fluted columns. He completed the first six stories containing 40,000 square feet in 1928. This was just to be the base for even grander skyscraper, with twelve more stories towering above. But history would step in the way as the construction was postponed due to the Great Depression. For the next sixty years, the Hearst International Magazine Building would just be that, a building weight for it’s tower. In 1988, the building was designated a Landmark Site by the Landmark’s Preservation Commission. By the 1990s, Hearst had 1,800 employees spread around nine different buildings throughout midtown Manhattan. The Hearst Corporation decided it was finally time to complete their skyscraper. They turned to world-renowned builder, Lord Norman Foster of Foster and Partners, a Pritzker Prizewinning architect. Foster and Partners has an extensive catalog of world famous buildings and projects under their belts. They did the Reichstag (capital building of Germany) redevelopment in Berlin, the Millennium Bridge in London, the London City Hall and are currently completing the reconstruction of Wembley Stadium and the Beijing Airport. But the Hearst Tower is the green jewel in his crown of achievements. Quick Facts: Hearst Tower 300 West 57th Street on Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10019 Gross Area: 856,000 ft² / 79,500 m² Zoning Area: 721,000 ft² / 67,000 m² Building Height: 597 ft (182 m) Number of Stories: 46 15 passenger elevators 7 miles of storage filing space 14,000 light fixtures Over 16,000 ceiling tiles 9,500 metric tons (10,480 tons) of structural steel Received the 2006 Emporis Skyscraper Award On the Web: www.hearstcorp.com/tower Foster conceived an arresting 46-story glass-and-steel skyscraper that has set the standard for innovative design and environmental achievement. Since it’s completion, the Hearst Tower has been the declared the first “green” office building in the history of New York City. It recieved a Gold Rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system by the U.S. Green Building Council. EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 FEATURE: Hearst Tower FEATURE: Hearst Tower The entire structure is a dance of a light and space, using all of the building to create a natural-feeling environment. The three-story atrium lobby creates a sense of calm, complete with the sound of cascading water, provided by the Icefall. The Icefall is a three-story sculpted water feature, flanking the escalators. Constructed of 50 tons of glass, it uses filtered and circulated rainwater that has been collected on the roof of the Hearst Tower. The water cools the atrium in summer, and humidifies it in the winter. By recycling the water, the design saves 1.7 million gallons of water that would have been runoff waste. Acclaimed environmental artist Richard Long created a monumental fresco, made of earth and water. The earth comes from both the Hudson River in New York and the Avon River of Long’s native England. The art installation comprises nine columns of swirled handprints to rises an impressive 70 feet, complimenting the Icefall in the interior plaza. These two unique touches, combined with natural light flooding in from the massive windows, instantly takes the breath away from visitors and employees alike when they enter Hearst Tower. Other spaces in the Hearst Tower include the Joseph Urban Theater, a dramatic presentation space that seats over 168 people. This auditorium is used to premiere the work of A&E, ESPN, Lifetime, Hearst-Argyle Television and other Hearst Corporation productions. On the 29th floor is the famous Good Housekeeping Research Institute. A new cutting-edge consumer product laboratory has been built for Good Housekeeping magazine. Since 1901, this institute evalutes consumer products with rigorous scientific test, awarding the best the coveted “Good Housekeeping Promises” Seal. But what really sets the Hearst Tower apart from other buildings is its construction. It features a revolutionary diagrid (diagonal-grid) structural system, which gives it its honeycomb appearance. The design’s four-story triangular frames of steel and glass not only sets it apart in the Manhattan skyline, it also provided superior structural efficiency. First skyscraper to break ground in New York City after September 11, 2001 Lord Foster also used it to cut down on building cost, eliminating the need for approximately 2,000 tons of steel and saved the Hearst Corporation roughly 20 percent compared to other office spaces of the same size. There are also no vertical steel beams on the building’s exterior, a first in North America. And the best part is that it is U.S. built, with less than 10 percent of the total cost of construction coming from overseas. Another realm of innovation comes from the daily operation of the tower. With its unique design to allow for more natural light along with rain catching techniques, the annual carbon footprint of the building was decreased by an incredible 896 tons. Yes, tons! That is the equivalent of taking 174 cars off the streets of Manhattan. This is coupled with an aggressive recycling program. The diversion rate, which is material not sent to local landfills, like paper, bottles, cans and all the other odds and ends that it takes to run a publishing empire, is tracked by the Hearst Tower. Currently, over 70 percent of the material used by Hearst employees is recycled. The Hearst Tower is a crowning achievement in going green, and great addition to the skyline of Manhattan. Since the Hearst Corporation has long been an integral part of New York City, it is great they have lead the way in boldness and innovation. With this achievement in combining forward-thinking architecture, modern technology and a green concept for a skyscraper, the Hearst Tower symbolizes its namesakes pioneering tradition. The Hearst Tower will be making other buildings in the Big Apple green with envy for years. Green Trivia: v 90% of the Tower’s structural steel contains recycled material. v Annual carbon dioxide reduction associated with the decreased energy useage is 896 tons per year. v The roof collects rainwater, reducing the amount of water dumped into the city’s sewer system during rainfall by 25%. v Hearst Corporations diversion rate (materials not sent to landfills) is currently 75%. v First commercial building in New York City to recieve a Gold Rating by the U.S. Green Building Council. EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 A Brief History Though associated with New York, William Randolph Hearst got his start in San Francisco. His father had won the San Francisco Examiner gambling, and Hearst became the paper’s publisher and devoted long hours and sweat to make it a success. It was also here that his papers took on a populist tone, crusading civic improvement and exposing municipal corruption. He then moved to New York City and acquired the New York Journal. This began an epic publishing war of the dailies, pitting Hearst against Joseph Pulitzer and his New York World. This lead to “yellow journalism,” named after the comic strip “Yellow Kid” in Hearst’s journal. Pulitzer and Hearst printed senational stories, scandals and all around muckracking to generate sales. Their battle also fanned the flames of war, creating a popular environment for the Spanish-American War in 1898. After winning the circulation battle, he expanded to other cities including Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston. By the mid-1920s he had a nationwide string of 28 newspapers. He also diversified into book publishing and magazines, including Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar. He also started two news services still in use today, Universal News and International News Service. He also expanded into film with the King Features Syndicate. The Hearst Corporation, like the rest of the country, took a big hit during the Great Depression. Some of his newspapers and the film company were shut down, though World War II did help restore his circulation and advertising revenues. It was enough to keep the company private when William Randolph Hearst died of a heart attack in 1951. Today, his family is still involved in the ownership and management of the company. But from the humble begins of a single newspaper, the company today is an international corporation with global holdings in a wide variety of media. Magazines Newspapers Television and Cable * Cosmopolitan * Country Living * Esquire * Good Housekeeping * Harper’s Bazaar * Marie Claire * O, The Oprah Magazine * Popular Mechanics * Redbook * Seventeen * Town & Country * Veranda * Albany Times Union * Beaumont Enterprise * Houston Chronicle * Jasper Newsboy * Laredo Morning Times * Midland Daily News * San Francisco Chronicle * Seattle Post-Intelligencer * San Antonio Express-News * A&E Television Networks (Shared with Disney and NBC Universal) * ESPN (owns 20%; shared with Disney, which owns the other 80%) * Hearst-Argyle Television (owner of 26 local television stations) * Lifetime Television (joint venture with The Walt Disney Company) EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 FEATURE: REMEMBERING FAY WRAY Remembering Fay Wray A Seventy -Year Love Affair with New York City By Justin Clayton I t’s no secret that throughout Fay Wray’s long and celebrated life, she loved and preferred to reside in New York City, rather than Los Angeles or any place else in the world. She was forever fascinated by the city’s pace and tempo, its throngs of people coming and going at all hours of the day and night, the many restaurants, theatres, museums, art galleries, churches, and its spectacular architecture, including an extra special affection for the Empire State Building which spanned over a seventy-year period. In Wray’s own words: “Each time I arrive in New York and see the skyline and the exquisite beauty of the Empire State Building, my heart beats a little faster. I like that feeling. I really like it!” Fay Wray was a legend and a myth in her own lifetime all because of one movie (although she appeared in approximately 100 silent and sound films). But what a movie! Released in 1933, “King Kong” was a universal hit and an instant classic, foreshadowing and eclipsing anything else the actress would ever do. In time, Wray learned to accept “King Kong” and its place in her life, and 10 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 graciously appeared at public functions to receive honors and awards bestowed upon her and this masterpiece of film art. My association with Fay Wray began with one fan letter when I was all of twelve years old after seeing “King Kong” on television. Wray replied, and so did I in return, and the correspondence went on for over forty years. Although we met a couple of times at public events in Los Angeles, our in-person friendship happened during the last twelve months of her life, when, at age 96 she invited me to visit at her Trump Tower condominium in the winter of 2003. From that moment on, I visited Fay almost every single weekend, which included quiet walks around Manhattan, dining at home or at her favorite restaurants, watching classic films on television, and listening as she quietly reminisced about her fascinating life and career. I was especially interested in the early years, and her association (either thru work or friendship) with such film legends as Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Loretta Young, Janet Gaynor, Cary Grant, Jeanette McDonald, Gloria Swanson, Jimmy Stewart, Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Lillian Gish, Spencer Tracy, Joel McCrea, Joan Crawford, Harlow, Dietrich, Garbo, and countless others. Fay remembered it all as though it happened just yesterday, and spoke in a most matter-offact manner, completely modest and seemingly unaware that she too was a part of Hollywood’s great Golden Era, and she too was one of the great screen legends. As grateful as Fay was for her film career, she fell completely in love with Manhattan back in the early 1930s and, hence, would always reside in both Los Angeles and New York City. In her later years, in particular when I came along in 2003, she was content with quiet, leisurely strolls down Fifth Avenue and the surrounding streets, gazing at all the storefront windows, completely enchanted by all that she saw. She was fond of Tiffany’s, which was right under Trump Tower where she lived. Although she admired the items on display, it was merely for aesthetics and not because she especially liked or wanted expensive jewelry. Fay loved our sunny weekend walks through Central Park, with a fascination for people-watching. She found children at play in the park of special interest, and at one point she observed a man carrying a young child on his shoulders. “I wish my father had carried me that way,” Fay softly lamented. I asked if she wanted me to put her up on my shoulders? She burst out laughing at the very idea! Another favorite place in the park was dining at the lavish Tavern on the Green, which she had been to many times before. A preferred dish was smoked salmon, almost Cajun style. Fay also loved the Plaza Hotel, and FEATURE: REMEMBERING FAY WRAY dined at the same window table for over seventy years. When she entered, the staff would recognize her immediately and fussed to make the star comfortable. Other patrons who were dining also recognized her from time to time. Fay was always so gracious and appreciative of all the attention, and even signed autographs when people came to her table. As a life-long practice Fay visited Elizabeth Arden’s salon, or as she would say “the red door,” usually weekly, to have her hair done, and for special events her make up was artistically applied by the Arden staff. In early May 2004 Fay expressed an interest in visiting her beloved Empire State Building once more. It had been several years since she went to the top and another journey seemed to be on her mind. Then, on a quiet sunny afternoon on May 15th, through special arrangements with the building’s public relations department, Fay Wray returned to the Empire State Building for what would be her final visit, along with me, her longtime personal assistant Yolanda Turcios, legendary film animator Ray Harryhausen, and author Mark Vaz, who were in town visiting on business. The press had a field day! A crush of television crews, reporters and photographers descended on Fay and her entourage when we emerged from our cab. We were privately escorted through the lobby, while the tourists stared in utter fascination, whispering “Look, there’s Fay Wray!” over and over. Security guards ushered us to the very top of the skyscraper, far above the observation deck. Fay gazed thru one of the porthole windows and pointed to the mass of buildings below. Cameramen and reporters zeroed in on the star, realizing that they were in the presence of an authentic living legend. Indeed, Ann Darrow had returned to the top of the world once more, and the world took notice! Later that night we watched the film footage of her historical visit on the news. Some broadcasts went even as far as China. I found it quite thrilling. But for Fay, it was just another day of being connected with Manhattan and its most famous skyscraper that she so loved. In June Fay flew to Los Angeles to attend her granddaughter’s wedding. She returned earlier than expected, however, because she missed New York. As much as she enjoyed her family, she found life in Hollywood utterly boring. Fay and I resumed our relationship; dining, walking down Fifth Avenue and the other great neighborhood streets, taking in Central Park, eating Sabrett hotdogs which she loved, and watching classic black and white movies on television. There were also public events, which I escorted her to, such as the film premiere of “Broadway, the Golden Years,” and a party later at Sardi’s. Anyone who was anybody at the event came to Fay’s table to greet the legend; Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Jane Powell, Richard “Dickie” Moore, Rex Reed, Michelle Lee, Lainie Kazan, Farley Granger, Celeste Holm, filmmaker Peter Jackson, and many others. Later that week, Peter Jackson dropped by Fay’s condominium to specifically ask if she would do a cameo in his remake of “King Kong.” Fay was flattered, and found Jackson rather interesting, but politely turned him down. Fay confided that she was not thrilled that “Kong” was being remade, but felt that if anyone could do it justice Jackson was the one. In July Fay was briefly hospitalized for a few days. I visited her daily and brought her ice cream and coffee, and flowers, which she loved, and helped pass the time while she recuperated. One afternoon as Fay was resting, I turned her television set on. By some bizarre twist of fate “King Kong” was playing. When Fay heard her famous, blood curdling screams, she immediately sat up in bed and pointed at the screen. Staff members were concerned by her reaction, but when I explained that their patient was the one and only Fay Wray, they almost went into shock! We were privately escorted through the lobby, while the tourists stared in utter fascination, whispering “Look, there’s Fay Wray!” over and over. After Fay’s release from the hospital, we resumed our strolls down Fifth Avenue and Central Park, only this time I had to push her in a wheelchair. She didn’t mind. It got her out of the apartment, and she was able to embrace New York again. One Sunday afternoon in Central Park, Fay spent considerable time watching a sidewalk artist sketch a portrait of a young girl. Fay’s eyes would dart back and forth, from the girl to the pad, from the pad to the girl. She smiled when the sketch finally came to life, and nodded in approval that the artist had done a very fine job indeed. At 7:30 Sunday morning on August 8th I received a troubling phone call from Yolanda that Fay had not slept well the night before and was asking for me. I arrived at her apartment by 9. Fay was happy to see me, but seemed (continued on page 12) EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 11 FEATURE: REMEMBERING FAY WRAY leaving for the day. Later in the afternoon I received a call that Fay was awake but appeared disoriented. I raced back to Trump Tower, but it was too late. She passed away shortly before I arrived. I treasure my memories with this great, legendary lady. The many years of correspondence and the letters that we exchanged; when I first met her in Hollywood; my visits with her at Trump Tower; our travels through her beloved Manhattan, Fifth Avenue, Central Park; the many fine restaurants she enjoyed; sitting in her condominium and listening as she quietly reminisced about her career; keeping her company as she contently watched classic movies on television from her great golden era of Hollywood filmmaking. Our spectacular, almost surreal journey to the top of the Empire State Building. I could not help but fantasize, if only for a moment, that I was really with Ann Darrow, the beautiful blonde heroine of “King Kong,” the star of one of the most beloved films of all time. And finally ironically, or perhaps even prophetically, watching “King Kong” together for the very last time, on the final day of her life. Fay Wray often mentioned that she looked forward to celebrating her 100th birthday. She died a few weeks shy of her 97th. Up until the end, she still remained positive and enthusiastic about life, especially of New York City. She wanted to take a boat cruise around Manhattan Island in the fall. There were museums to visit, art galleries, plays, concerts, and the cinema I could not help but fantasize, if only for a moment, that I was really with Ann Darrow, the beautiful blonde heroine of “King Kong,” the star of one of the most beloved films of all time. I 12 told Yolanda that Fay was MAGAZINE sleeping and I was EMPIRE STATE Fall 2007 that she so looked forward to. With her passing, she now exists in the dreams and fantasies of others, forever preserved as the beautiful, innocent blonde captive of a fifty-foot-tall prehistoric gorilla. For me, it was a privilege to have been a part of her life, especially in her final year. Indeed the world took notice of her passing, as it made headlines all over the world. But no public acknowledgement was as great as that of her beloved Empire State Building, when on August 10th it dimmed its lights for 15 minutes in reverence of the woman who helped immortalize the building as much as it did her. Justin Clayton and Fay Wray preoccupied and not quite herself. I called her physician, who arrived at noon and proceeded to examine her in the bedroom. When he finished, he came into the living room and informed us that she was a “fighter.” I went into the bedroom and sat next to Fay and asked if there was anything I could do? Her only request was that I lay next to her on the bed, which I did. I asked if she’d like to watch a movie? She said she did. “How about ‘King Kong?’” I asked. “Okay,” she replied. I popped the tape in and pressed play. Max Steiner’s haunting score came blaring thru the speakers, while the star and her fan watched for the last time together one of the most celebrated movies ever made. When the film ended, I began to kid her: “It was beauty killed the beast. You did it, Fay!” “Yes,” she playfully responded. “I did it! I did it!” And then she grew sleepy and closed her eyes. I kissed her forehead, covered her comfortably in her blanket, and left the room while she napped. EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 13 1 Barneys New York 660 Madison Avenue at 61st Street 212-826-8900 Shopping in Manhattan! How can you come to New York City and not go shopping! The Big Apple is famous for its trendsetting ways, so here is a helpful map to all the hottest spots with the latest fashions. 2 Bloomingdales 1000 Third Avenue at 59th Street 212-705-2000 3 Macy’s Herald Square, Broadway between 34th and 35th Streets 212-695-4400 4 Saks Fifth Avenue 611 Fifth Avenue (at 49th Street) 212-753-4000 5 Toys ’R Us 1514 Broadway (at 44th Street) 800-TOYSRUS 6 Yankees Clubhouse Shop 294 West 42nd Street (Times Square - 42nd Street) 212-768-9555 14 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 15 FEATURE: Little Known Museums FEATURE: Little Known Museums Peking: This incredible ship represents the final Little Known Museums chapter in merchant vessels powered by wind. The four-masted barque Peking was launched in 1911, from Hamburg, Germany and sailed to South America around the storm-tossed Cape Horn. In 1932, she moored in England’s Medway River where she served as Arethusa Boy’s School for 40 years. In 1975, she was acquired by the museum. Her steel hull is as long as a football field and she has masts as tall as an 18-story building. After a twelve year restoration project, the wire rope riggings were fully restored to original condition. Visitors can also go below decks to tour living quarters, view vintage photos of her career and watch “Peking at Sea,” a stomach-turning film about it’s trip around Cape Horn. I f you really want to get to know New York City, you have to get out of Midtown! This month we feature two great museums located on the lower east side of Manhattan, right on the water. The views are worth it alone, but these two museums make it a perfect family day out. South Street Seaport Museum New York City is surrounded by harbors, bays, rivers and more, making it one of the most important ports in the country. A visit to the South Street Seaport Museum will show you the vast history with galleries and historic ships docked right there. Located on the site of what was once America’s leading port of call, the now historic twelvesquare-block district in lower Manhattan. South Street Seaport Museum offers you an unforgettable glimpse into the lives of the people who lived in the 18thand 19th-century New York. The museum was founded in 1967 to trace the history of the Port of New York, and its commercial and cultural impact on the city, the state and the nation. Its first goal was to save eleven blocks of historic buildings around the Brooklyn Bridge from being leveled by developers. South Street Seaport Museum 12 Fulton Street New York, N.Y. 10038 located within the Historic Seaport District Tel: 212-748-8600 Email: [email protected] Web: www.southstseaport.org Hours: November-March: Friday-Sunday 10am5pm: All Galleries Open Ships open at noon (weather permitting) Monday 10am-5pm: Schermerhorn Row Galleries Only April-October: Daily 10 a.m. - 6 p. m., Closed Mondays. Admission $8 adults $6 students/seniors with ID $4 children (aged 5-12) After securing the buildings, they started bringing in historic vessels and established a maritime museum and research library. In the 1980s, the Museum undertook a $286 million dollar project to restore and revive the Seaport so it was on par to similar historic locations as Baltimore’s Harbor Place and Boston’s Quincy Market. Together with the Rouse Company and the City of New York, the area has become a place of culture and commerce, featuring entertainment, learning, restaurants, shopping and vessels you will never see anywhere else in the world. One the more majestic exhibits on display is “Monarchs of the Sea: Celebrating the Ocean Liner Era.” This permanent exhibition features plans, models and memorabilia from the exciting age when ocean liners ruled the sea lanes. Before airplanes and jets came along, ocean liners were the last world in luxury travel, and this exhibit has the best of what that age had to offer. Rig: Four-masted barque Material: Wood decks and rest steel Length: 377 ft. Breadth: 47 ft. Gross Tonnage: 3100 Net Tonnage: 2883 Depth: 26 ft. 3 in. Main Mast Height: 170 ft. Sail Area: 44,132 sq. ft. Max Speed: 16.5 knots (19 mph) Passenger Capacity: 200 Ambrose: Since you could not build a lighthouse on water, back in the day they had lightships. The Ambrose was built in 1908 for this purpose and sat in the mouth of lower New York Bay between Coney Island and Sandy Hook, New Jersey. She would guide approaching ships away from the sand bars and shoals until 1963, and was given to the museum by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1968. Today, visitors can board the Ambrose to view an exhibition of photographs, charts, and artifacts on navigation and the forgotten role of lightships. Around South Street Sea Port Length: 112 ft. 12 in. Breadth: 29 ft. Depth of Hold: 15 ft. 4 in. Gross Tonnage: 488 After view the museum’s galleries of galleys, step outside where the true adventure is! The South Street Seaport Museum is the home of the nation’s largest fleet of privately maintained historic vessels. Their dock holds ships that once filled New York Harbor—cargo and working vessels that moved both people and freight. Children under 5 and Museum Members free. 16 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 17 FEATURE: Little Known Museums FEATURE: Little Known Museums The New York City Police Museum More Museums in NYC: Museum of Modern Art 11 W 53rd Street New York, NY 10019 212-708-9400 www.moma.org The New York City Police Museum 100 Old Slip New York, N.Y. 10005 212-480-3100 www.nycpolicemuseum.org Hours Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday - Sunday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tickets Adults: $5 Seniors: $3 Children (6-18): $2 Museum members and children under 6 are Free. The largest police force in the United States started as a humble force of eight men in New Amsterdam. Today, the New York City Police Department has evolved into the most prestigious force in the world, and holds a special place in the city’s history. From their heroics on September 11, 2001 to battling the mafia, New York’s finest is on display at this museum. Come find out how Theodore Roosevelt, before he became President of the United States, used his position as the President to the Board of Commissioners to hire police recruits from political affiliations how physically and mental fit they were. He also started the School of Pistol Practice, making the .32 caliber revolver the standard issue of the police department. And most interestingly, he started the first Bicycle Squad back in 1895! Also parked at the New York Police Museum are various cars and paddywagons from the past, along with pictures of even more. From the classic cars of vintage cop shows from the 70s, to threewheeled scooters, it is interesting to see how the NYPD has always stayed on the cutting edge of transportation technology. And for the real police affiacandos, there are exhibits on the patch and shield history of the NYPD. And of course the various uniforms, from the pioneer days of New Amsterdam to the modern terrorism task forces facing today’s modern problems. Don’t forget to also see the various medals they have awarded through out the years, and the police officer’s stories behind them. But there could not be police without criminals, and New York has had notorious ones. On display is the machine gun used by Al Capone’s gang to assasinate Frankie Yale, the first time a machine gun had been used to commit a homicide in New York City. They also have Willie Sutton’s lock pics found in his jail cell and photographs and descriptions of some of the city’s worst law-breakers, including more of their guns from by gone eras. And finally, a permanent exhibit for an event we must never forget: “9.11 Remembered.” Exclusive on-camera interviews, striking photographs and numerous Ground Zero artifacts tell the story of NYPD’s greatest sacrifice to the city, and to our nation. 18 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 Located downtown across the street from the famous stock market bull statue in the old Cunard Line Building, the New York City Police Museum is a fasnicating stop to look at the long and extensive history of the greatest police force in the world. Children’s Museum of Manhattan 212 West 83rd Street New York, NY 10024 212-721-1234 www.cmom.org Guggenheim Museum 88th & 89th Streets 1071 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10128 212-423-3500 www.guggenheim.org Hayden Planetarium 175 Central Park West New York, NY 10024 212-769-5000 www.amnh.org The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10021 212-535-7710 www.metmuseum.org Whitney Museum of American Art 74th & 75th Street at 945 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10021 212-570-3600 www.whitney.org EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 Visit www.EmpireStateMagazine.com for complete listing of museums Another unique exhibit is the display of various vehicles that have been used throughout the NYPD’s long history. On display is a beautiful red Indian motorcycle from the 1910s, when Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo started the new squad. When Indian Motorcycle went out of busines in 1953, the NYPD switched to Harley Davidson, whose bikes can also been seen at the museum. American Museum of Natural History 79 Central Park West New York, NY 10023 212-769-5100 www.amnh.org 19 FEATURE: ESCAPE FROM MANHATTAN FEATURE: Art of the Deal What is a BID? A Business Improvement District (BID) is a public/private partnership where property and business owners elect to have collective contribution to improve the maintenance, development and promotion of their commercial district. In many places in New York City, the plants and trash cans you see are not provided by the city, but by the BIDs. They also run several of the tourism and local business information booths providing visitors and New Yorkers with valuable information. For over three hundred years, New York State orchards have been perfecting their apples. From the classic McIntosh to the snappy Empire, New York has the apple for any taste. New York is second in the country in apple production, producing 2 million bushels. What makes New York so good for apples is a combination of favorable soils, abundant rainfall and the seasons. Why do people for BIDs? The purpose of a BID is to improve conditions in and around areas of businesses and properties. They improve quality of life and also generate jobs. Stakeholders in the BIDS also decide which services to provide to meet their district’s unique needs. These include: a Cleaning sidewalks and streets, as well as graffiti removal. a Helping reduce commercial vacancy of spaces inside the district. a Landscaping parks and open spaces, including planting trees and flowers. a Marketing special events, district public relations, promotional materials of local business and holiday decorations. There are over fifty thousands acres of orchards in New York, mostly located in Champlain Valley, the Hudson Valley, Lake Country and the Niagara Frontier. With approximately 694 commercial apple growers, it’s easy to find the perfect place to take the family upstate to go pick your own. a Provide public safety officers and visitor assistance. a Fundraising for community services such as homeless outreach and youth programs. a Completing capital improvements like improved streetlights, custom trash receptacles, directional street signage for visitors, custom news boxes and flower boxes. The size and events vary from farm to farm, from just picking apples to full on festivals. At certain locations there are hay rides, corn mazes and even pig races! So always call the farm before you go to see what’s shaking that weekend. WHERE TO GO: 1) Bowman Orchards 141 Sugar Hill Road Rexford, NY 12148 Phone: 518-371-2042 Web: www.bowmanorchards.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Roadside Stand, Farm Market, Cider, Gift Boxes, Special Events 2) Riverview Orchards 660 Riverview Road Rexford, NY 12148 Phone: 518-371-2174 Web: www.rivervieworchards.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Special Events 3) Dressel Farms 271 Route 208 New Paltz, NY 12561 Phone: 845-255-0693 Web: www.dresselfarms.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Roadside Stand, Farm Market, Cider 4) Hurd’s Family Farm 2187 Route 32 Modena, NY 12548 Phone: 845-883-7825 Web: www.hurdsfamilyfarm.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Roadside Stand, Special Events 20 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 5) Apple Hill Farm 124 Route 32 South New Paltz, NY 12561 Phone: 845-255-1605 Web: www.applehillfarm.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Gift Boxes 6) Mr. Apples Box 98 High Falls, NY 12440 Phone: 845-687-0005 Web: www.mrapples.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Farm Market, Special Events 7) Don Baker Farm 183 Route 14 Hudson, NY 12534 Phone: 518-828-9542 Web: www.donbakerfarm.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Roadside Stand 8) LoveApple Farm 1421 Route 9H Ghent, NY 12075 Phone: 518-828-5048 Web: www.loveapplefarm.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Roadside Stand, Farm Market, Special Events, Petting Zoo How is a BID funded? 9) Green Acre Fruit Farms 3460 Latta Rd Rochester, NY 14612 Phone: 585-243-0252 Web Site: www.greenacreupick.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Farm Market, Cider, Special Events 10) Applejacks Orchard 751 Brand Hollow Road Peru, NY 12972 Phone: 518-643-2268 Web: www.applejacks.ws Apple Grower, U Pick, Roadside Stand, Farm Market, Hay Maze, Petting Zoo 11) Hicks Orchard 18 Hicks Road Granville, NY 12832 Phone: 518-642-1788 Web: www.hicksorchard.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Cider, Gift Boxes, Special Events 12) North Star Orchards 4741 Route 233 Westmoreland, NY 13490 Phone: 315-853-1024 Web: www.northstarorchards.com Apple Grower, U Pick, Farm Market, Cider, Gift Boxes, Special Events BID programs and services are underwritten by a special assessment collected from property owners in the defined bids. The assessment is billed and collected by the City of New York and then disbursed to the District Management Association who in turn delivers the district’s services. Who oversees the BID? Each BID is governed by a Board of Directors that is elected by the members of the district. The Board of Directors then hires management to administer the day-to-day operations of the BID. Each Board is also broken into classes of commercial property owners, commercial tenants, residents and public officials. The majority of the directors must also be property owners. The Mayor on the city, Comptroller, Borough President and a member of the City Council are also defacto members of the board. How can I be involved? There are many ways to become active in your local BID, or start a BID in your district. The first steps would be to attend meetings, join the Steering Committee and serve on the Board of Directors or work on a special project. Most important of all, before a BID is formed, voice your support. For more information on forming a BID, please call 311 and ask for the Business Improvement District Program, or visit www.nyc.gov/smallbiz. EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 21 Visit our website at www.matrixcopy.com for all your copying and printing needs. Services we provide: Color Copies B & W Copies Computer Rental Laminating Mail Boxes Binding Folding Fax Services Passport Photo Film Developing Digital Picture Business Card Poster Printing Fiery Printing Stationery File Transfer CD/DVD Duplication Scanning NCR Personalized Items T-Shirts Graphics Design Postcard Printing Sign/Banner Computer Tech Support And more. TM MA T R i X Copy and Printing Services All Your Copying Needs TM Under One Roof * conditions may apply. 140 West 72nd Street (Btw. Amsterdam & Columbus Avenues) New York, NY 10023 T: 212.724.1309 F: 212.724.1359 W: www.matrixcopy.com Advertise in EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE! This is the perfect place to advertise if your business is tailored to tourists or business travelers, or to help publicize your event. Please visit our site at www. empirestatemagazine.com for more information and advertising opportunities in the magazine or on our tourism website. You can also contact Empire State Magazine at: Tel: 212-724-2213 * Fax: 212-724-1359 140 West 72nd Street New York, NY 10023 Email: [email protected] Web: www.empirestatemagazine.com EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 23 Land Housing To meet the needs of the expected population boom, New York will need 265,000 more housing units by 2030. We also need to have affordable housing. The Plan is expand the existing supply of units by 300,000 to 500,000 units to help drive down the price of land, while directing the growth to areas that can be serviced by public transportation. This action will be paired with creative financing, expanding the use of inclusionary zoning and developing homeownership programs for low-income New Yorkers. With these strategies, new housing will match the vision of New York as a city of opportunity for all. Open Space Currently, two million New Yorkers, including hundreds of thousands of children, live more than 10 minutes from a park. The Plan will create new recreational facilities across every borough, opening hundreds of schoolyards as local playgrounds, reclaiming undeveloped sites that were designated parks but never finished, and expanding usable hours at existing fields by installing additional lights and turf fields. New greenstreets and public plazas in every community will improve the streets and sidewalks and create a more inviting public realm. Water Water Network New York City has the luxury of an abundant water supply, but the supply system faces challenges. First, the reservoirs will be protected from development, and the aging aqueducts and water tunnels will be updated. Also, a new filtration plant for the Croton System will be placed at its source. And to make sure there is always water for the future, an aggressive watershed protection program will be implemented for the Catskill and Delaware systems. New York will also create redundancy for the aqueducts that carry the water to the city through a combination of water conservation measures, new infrastructure like the New Croton Aqueduct, and evaluating new water sources, like groundwater. And best of all, Water Tunnel Number 3 will be finished for in-city distribution. Water Quality Introduction New York City is stronger than ever. Out of the chaos of yesteryear, a city on the move has emerged. Today, more people ride public transit than fifty years ago, crime is at a forty-year low, the city’s bonds have their best rating ever and unemployment is at an all-time low. Last year, a record 44 million tourists from around the country and world came to the Big Apple, and for the first time since World War II the average New Yorker is living longer than the average American. But with prosperity comes challenges, as the population of New York is expected to grow to over nine million by 2030. The infrastructure of our city is as old as its legends. With the influx, the quality of air, water and land will be tested throughout the five boroughs. And most of all, New York must face implications of global climate change. The Planyc put forth by Mayor Bloomberg is a set of active solutions to these problems, instead of reactive fixes. The moment of facing up to our collective responsibility for this city’s future is now, so that we pass along a Big Apple to our children that will be sustainable. We must build affordable housing for all, neighborhoods with enough playgrounds, upgrade the aging water and power systems, end congestion on the roads and bring the subway system into the modern era. Together, we can create a greener, greater New York. New York has 600 miles of coastline, making it one of the world’s greatest waterfront cities. The revitalization of the waterfront has been a major goal of all five boroughs over the last five years, and this will be taken up a notch. The Plan calls for an upgrade of wastewater treatment to help purify the most polluted tributaries. Also there will be a strategy to help clean the water before it reaches the rivers and creeks with the greening of streets, planting trees and rebuilding the wetlands. With these initiatives, the city’s natural ecology and recreational use of the waterways will be restored. (continued on page 26) Empire State Magazine: PLANYC Empire State Magazine: PLANYC Transportation We also know that the speed of life in New York has always been one of its selling points. But over the last fifty years, New York has underinvested in its transit and road networks. Currently, all subway routes, river crossings and commuter rail lines are at their maximum capacity, making transportation the greatest barrier to growth. Improvements to the transportation system will include major expansions of the infrastructure, improved bus service, and expanded ferry system. In a help to reduce gridlocks a new and more streamlined bike master plan will be installed into the city. One major change will also be congestion pricing, a proven strategy that charges drivers a daily fee to use the city’s densest business district. To pay for all this, a new regional financing entity, the SMART Financing Authority, will rely on three funding streams. This will include revenues from the congestion pricing, which will hopefully be matched by the state government. The authority will also use grants to achieve a steady improvement and repair rate, enabling the entire metropolitan region to achieve a new standard of mobility. Energy Today, New Yorkers face ever rising energy costs, air pollution and greenhouse emissions from a combination of aging infrastructure and growth. The plan will encourage the addition of new, clean power plants, promote repowering of current plants and build a market for renewable energy. As the renewable energy system gains market share, older and most polluting power plants, cleaning the air and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce demand, the plan also calls for a the largest energy consumers—institutional buildings, commercial and industrial buildings—to accelerate efficiency upgrades. Through a system of incentives, mandates and challenges, the demand, and cost of energy, will fall. Another aspect is to work with the state level of New York to create a New York City Energy Planning Board to help a sustainable energy network. By managing demand and increasing supply, the city can help the overall power and heating bill plunge by more than $2 billion to $4 billion, with an average saving of $230 per New York household per year by 2015. Air Quality Currenly, asthma affects too many New Yorkers in way too many neighborhoods. Despite recent improvements, New York City is still behind national air quality standards. Transportation is responsible for more than 50 percent of the total local air pollution, which is why the city will call for more New Yorkers to shift to mass transit. This will be complimented fuel efficiency, cleaner fuels, cleaner or upgraded engines, and the installation of anti-idling technology. To track the progress, the plan also calls for the largest local air quality studies in the United States. The goal is the achieve the cleanest air quality of any big city in America. Climate Change Collectively, all these programs above are to address the greatest challenge of all: global warming. Unless greenhouse emissions are substantially reduced by the middle of the century, the impacts of climate change will be irreversible. New York, being a coastal city, is very vulnerable. The plan’s climate change strategy is the sum of all the parts, each working to help the other. All of Planyc is geared to reducing the number of cars to building cleaner power plants to improving quality of life for all New Yorkers. All while reducing greenhouse emissions. With all these parts of the plan, hopefully an additional 15.6 metric tons of greenhouse gases will be kept from entering the atmosphere. 26 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 27 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 29 Empire State Magazine: RECREATION and ATTRACTION LISTING Attractions in New York City Statue of Liberty National Monument Liberty Island New York, NY 10004 866-STATUE4 www.nps.gov/stli Empire State Building 350 Fifth Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets New York, NY 10118 www.esbnyc.com Flatiron Building Broadway & 5th Avenue New York, New York 10010 Pennsylvania Station Eighth Ave between 31st Street & 33rd Street, New York, NY 10001 212-760-0856 Woolworth Building 233 Broadway Park Place and Barclay Street New York City, NY 10279 U.S. Custom House 28 Wall Street New York, NY 10001 212-514-3700 Recreation in New York City When visiting New York City, recreation is a must! Luckily for visitors and residents alike, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation offers a wide variety of options to get outdoors and get some exercise. If you plan on visiting New York, please check their website at www.nycgovparks.org for the most up to date information and events. Featured Recreation Center: Chelsea Piers W 23rd Street and the Hudson River New York, NY 10011 Tel: 212-336-6666 Email: [email protected] Web: www.chelseapiers.com This 30-acre “sports village,” built on four Hudson River piers, is “Manhattan’s premier destination for family fun and fitness.” A variety of athletic and other participatory activities is available. 30 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 U. N. Plaza 1 & 2 UN Plaza New York, NY 10017 212-355-4073 www.un.org Federal Hall National Memorial 26 Wall Street New York, NY 10005 212-825-6888 www.nps.gov/feha/ Chrysler Building 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10174 Empire State Magazine: THEATER LISTING Theater in New York City Some of our favorite Broadway Theaters in New York City: The fall theater season is upon us, and this year’s crop is better than ever. Since shows and times are subject to change, Empire State Magazine has decided to list various theaters where we enjoy seeing performances. If you are looking for the complete Broadway experience, then we highly suggest: 302 West 45th Street New York, NY 10036 212-239-6200 Broadway.com Complete Listings by phone: 800-BROADWAY Web: www.broadway.com They also offer complete hotel and dining packages, making for a perfect night out after a long day of site seeing or shopping. Rockefeller Center 5th Avenue to 7th Avenue between 47th Street and 51st at Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10111 www.rockefellercenter.com Circle Line Sightseeing Boats 83 N River Piers New York, NY 10036 212-563-3200 www.circleline42.com New York Stock Exchange 11 Wall Street New York, NY 10005 212-656.3000 www.nyse.com Al Hirschfeld Theatre Second Stage Theater The Ambassador Theatre Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater 219 West 49th Street New York, NY 10019 Daryl Roth Theatre 101 E 15th Street New York, NY 10003 212-375-1110 Players Theater 115 MacDougal Street New York, NY 10012 212-475-1449 307 W 43rd Street New York, NY 10036 212-787-8302 163 W 23rd Street New York, NY 10011 212-366-9176 Urban Stages Theater 259 W 30th Street New York, NY 10001 212-695-5131 Zipper Theater 336 W 37th Street New York, NY 10018 212-563-0480 Call 800Broadway for tickets to both shows today! WICKED! Long before Dorothy was swept by a tornado to the Land of Oz, two other girls meet. One was smart, fiery and misunderstood, with emerald-green skin. The other was a beautiful and ambitious girl, who became quite popular. Wicked tells the story how these two unlikely friends became the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. Based on the Gregory Maguire back-story to the Wizard of Oz, this fantasy-filled musical was the winner of three 2004 Tony Awards including prizes for Best Costume Design and Best Scenic Design. From a trip to the Emerald City to the famous flying monkeys, audiences literally gasp at a true spectacle for the eyes and ears. Xanadu Also get tickets to Wicked’s Behind the Emerald Curtain Tour, which runs every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at the Gershwin Theatre. Tickets to the show are not required for the tour. Based on the 1980 cult favorite film starring Olivia Newton-John, Xanadu is the story of nine muses from ancient Greece come to life on a Venice Beach wall mural. While roller skating near the beach, one of the muses, named Kira, meets and falls in love with a frustrated record album cover artist named Sonny. With the help of Danny McGuire, an aging song and dance man who Kira inspired back to his prime when he owned a supper club in New York, they team up. Along with magical touches from Kira, Sonny and Danny team up to build and open a roller disco nightclub called Xanadu. The musical features the songs written for the movie by Electric Light Orchestra and Newton John as well as other ELO hits. Gershwin Theater Helen Hayes Theatre 222 West 51st Street New York, NY 10019 240 West 44th Street New York, NY 10036 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 31 Empire State Magazine: Business Travelers Empire State Magazine: Business Travelers Business Travelers’ Guide to New York City A Night Out While most people come here to shop and take in the theatre, we also know that some come here to make the deal that could make your company. So, after you get that signature on the dotted line, why not treat yourself to one of these fine establishments? You earned it, big fella. Unique Lodging The Muse Hotel 130 West 46th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenue) New York City, NY 10036 Phone: 212-485-2400 Fax: 212-485-2789 Reservations: 877-NYC-MUSE Web: www.themusehotel.com Sure, you came to New York City to meet that big client, but Gotham has so much to offer after you seal the deal. If you are coming to New York City to also take in the theater, then at stay the Muse Hotel would be perfect. Located in the heart of the city’s renowned theater district, the The Muse offers comfort you deserve with creativity, service with style and function with form. Within easy walking distance to the best of midtown Manhattan, Times Square, Broadway, the Empire State Building, Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue shopping are 32 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 just minutes away. Located in the historic Leavitt Building, the arched, limestoneand-brick facade invites you into a daydream of a past-gone time of elegance, complete with a lobby of midnight blue velvet rolled-arm lounge chairs and whimsical, overstuffed sofas. This four diamond boutique hotel also features 200 uniquely decorated rooms and suites that are absurdly big by New York City standards, at least 50 percent bigger than most others in town. Each contained commissioned works from such artists as Sid Avery, William Claxton, Jerry Schatzberg and others, complete with references to the theater and performing arts. They also each have high-speed internet, complimentary Japas 38 Citizen Service Center 311 morning paper, balconies with city views, in-room spa services, and feather beds with fine lines. (lines open 24/7) New York City’s official nonemergency help line, available in 171 languages for questions (parade hours and routes, parking restrictions, transport problems) and complaints (litter, noise pollution, access) 9 East 38th Street (between 5th Ave & Madison Ave) New York, NY 10016 Tel: 212-679-4040 Web: www.japas38.com Depending on your client, sometimes a night at the karoake bar is the perfect way to break the ice. Located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, Japas 38 features all the cutting edge karoake equipment that you would usually only find in the newest downtown Tokyo joints. Their catalog of songs include the latest titles in English, Japanese, Korean and Tagalog. Every month, Japas 38 adds 100 news songs, so check them out! They have 12 private party rooms for up to 35 guests and a full service bar. There is also a party package that includes unlimited karaoke, sushi and appetizer platters and even unlimited drinks! They also serve Japanese tapas (japas) and fresh sushi from the hands of skilled sushi chefs. Also of note is the mouth watering Chilean Sea Bass and with an array of sakis. A perfect night for you first karaoke experience is their Monday Night Karoake challenge. Watch as people try to belt out the latest songs as latest technology from Japan tests theirs, and if you are brave enough, your singing techniques. So for a night out sing and drinking with friends or business clients, there is no better place for karaoke in New York than Japas 38! And in rarity for the Big Apple, they are extremely pet friendly. If you get the Pampered Pooch Package, a delightful gift basket will be waiting for you, filled with canine treats and food and water bowls. Hotel guests and their dogs are welcome to shop together at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany’s, Brooks Brothers, Banana Republic and the Gap. EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 33 Empire State Magazine: : Business Travellers Dining Around the City Eight Mile Creek 240 Mulberry Street Between Prince and Spring Streets New York, NY 10012 Tel: 212-431-4635 Web: www.eightmilecreek.com Email: [email protected] Located in the heart of NoLita (North of Little Italy), this downtown Manhattan restaurant brings the Australian dining and drinking experience to New York City. Eight Mile Creek features a New York Times-rated 2 star restaurant upstairs and a relaxed Aussie-style pub downstairs. The restaurant features contemporary Australian cuisine. The influences include the indigenous population of the aboriginals, the immigrants from Europe and the most recent immigrants from all over Asia. It is a delicious mix of native Australian fruits, spices and meats from from traditional Europe and all brought together with a fusion of all of Asia. Though usually associated with beer, Australia cuisine is not complete without their wines. Their extensive wine list comes from all over Australia, and even New Zealand. Their wine service also include Mendocino crystal stems, and have Speigelau decanters for airing the tighter-knit, fuller-bodied wines. There are no kangaroos or koalas tackingly tacked to the wall. In fact, the entire restaurant is bathed in warm light, highlights the ochre-colored walls and slate creek paths that line the floors. This restaurant is the perfect place to take in a dinner and then head down to the pub downstairs. The creek bar downstairs offers refreshingly cold Coopers Ale, more Aussie wines, numerous cocktails with a Aussie twist, and jukebox full of new and old Australian music. It has the feel of a rustic and relaxed saloon bar, a favorite style for pubs back down under. Their bar menu has the traditional fares of meat pies and fish and chips, perfect with Aussie beers. The creek bar at Eight Mile Creek also plays host to all the biggest sporting events from Australia including International rugby, one-day/test cricket, National Rugby League and Aussie Rules football. Hourglass Tavern 375 W 46th Street New York, NY 10036 Tel: 212-265-2060 Web: www.hourglasstavern.com Email: [email protected] Owned by the same couple for more than thirty-four years, the Hourglass Tavern feels more like a country home than a midtown Manhattan restaurant. Located just two blocks from Times Square, the Hourglass Tavern combines the best in hospitable service at an affordable price. Located near Broadway, this pre-theater favorite is the place to be for those winding up for a night on the town, or winding down after a long business day. Chef Chris Sideris has been crafting his cuisine since he was child, originally working in his father’s restaurant in Greece. When he arrived in New York, he combined his expertise in flavor with all the ingredients this city has to offer. The results are a mouth watering array of choices. Highly recommended are the Baby Lamb Chops, Delmonico (Boneless Top Sirloin steak) and their mouth-watering Porterhouse. For the vegetarians out there, make sure to check out the Brocoli Rabe Ravioli stuffed with shiitake mushrooms. 34 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 The Hourglass Tavern, being a tavern and all, also has a complete wine list, full bar with a nice array of both domestic and foreign beers. They also feature daily Pre-Theater Specials. If you are thinking of having an event near Times Square, they have two private dinner floors that seat about twenty-five people each. So if you are in Times Square and looking to take in a great meal away from the hustle and bustle, then the Hourglass Tavern is the perfect order. EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 37 38 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Winter 2006/Spring 2007 Empire State Magazine: Fun for Kids in New York City Gods, Myths and Mortals: Discover Ancient Greece May 2007 – December 2008 Ages 6 and older “Gods, Myths and Mortals: Discover Ancient Greece” will take you on a journey through the world of ancient Greece. The great gods Zeus, Poseidon and Athena themselves grace you with their presence and lead the tours. After hearing about their powers and responsibilities, take an on-screen personality quiz to determine which mythological character you are most like. Children’s Museum of Manhattan The Tisch Building 212 West 83rd Street New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-721-1234 Act out the great battle of Troy and climb inside a 12-foot-tall Trojan Horse. After that, you can brave the trials as described in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey. You will journey to rocky caves and open seas, escape from crawlthrough Cyclops Cave and sing like Siren in the Sirens Karaoke Cove. You choice your own adventure, and at the end your personalized on-screen Hero Record from the journey is emailed home. Hours Tuesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Mondays for School and Outreach Programs Visit the gymnasium and oikos (home) to discover which skills were most valued by young boys and girls in ancient Greece. You can armwrestle ancient Greek champions, test your best leap against their jumpers. After leaning how ancient Greek women lived in myth and daily life, compete against Athena in a virtual weaving contest. Target Free First Friday Nights CMOM is open with free admission from 5-8pm on the first Friday of every month! Dora the Explorer Ages 2–6 Store Hours Tuesday – Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Empire State Magazine: Fun for Kids in New York City Visit www. fdnyfirezone. org At the Fire Zone, visitors are led into a Simulated Fire scene. Through real life testimonies, they learn how easily fires can start, and how quickly they can spread, and most importantly, how an escape plan could get them to safety. At the end, you exit through a darkened, smoke-filled hallway to a predetermined meeting place. Welcome to the Little West Side, where CMOM’s smallest visitors rule the town. Tell time at the clock tower, learn colors at the grocery store, “drive” the mail truck to the post office, build the city skyline, or relax with a good book. CMOM’s Little West Side gives children the opportunity to build literacy and math skills through every day locations. TIP FOR A MORE ENJOYABLE VISIT: Avoid the coat check line! Consider leaving your stroller at home. 40 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 34 West 51st Street New York, NY 10020 Email: [email protected] Visitor information: 212-698-4520 Group Reservations: 212-698-4541 Hours of Operation Monday - Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The meeting place is the Empowerment Zone. Families are urged to take what they’ve learned and apply it in their own homes. Each visitor leaves with the materials necessary to eliminate fire hazards and create an escape plan for their family. Although home fires are the leading cause of fire deaths in the nation, they are also the easiest to prevent. Studies prove there is a link between fire-safety education programs and a reduction of fires. Programs like the Fire Zone that raise public consciousness and change unsafe behaviors can make the difference between life and death. So bring the whole family for a crash course in fire safety, at the Fire Zone! The Prince & the Magic Flute at Puppetworks For More Information Visit www.cmom.org Little West Side Ages 4 and younger At the Fire Zone the whole family can learn about the power of fire. You can climb on a real fire truck, try on bunker gear, meet a real-life firefighter and learn to crawl through a smoke-filled hallway, even in the dark. The whole family can also learn to identify hazards in your home, and help make an escape plan. At the Fire Zone you’ll have a first-hand experience in respecting fire and learn what to do in an emergency. Through a variety of hands-on exhibits and multimedia presentations, visitors are immersed in a unique experience where everyone become part of the firefighting team. Every member of the family will realize they can play a major role in preventing fires. Explore with Dora! The adventurous Latina heroine guides children and adults through her tropical world. Climb through the Pyramid and learn to count from 1 to 10 in English and Spanish. Slide from Boots’s Treehouse, play “hide and seek” in the Rainforest, help Diego care for rainforest animals, build a bridge over Crocodile Lake and join the fiesta at Dora’s House. At the end of your adventure, sing the “We Did It!” song with Dora and Boots. All this as parents learn how their children learn! Sponsored by Nickelodeon FDNY Fire Zone The Fire Zone is New York City’s stateof-the-art fire-safety learning center. Visit www. puppetworks. org as produced at the Smithsonian Institution adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola (recommended for ages 4 and up) September 1 - December 23, 2007 Performance Times for the General Public Every Saturday & Sunday at 12:30 & 2:30 p.m. Puppetworks Admission for a CHILD is $7; an ADULT $8 GROUPS of 20 or more, $5 per person The Puppetworks, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation, established 1980 in New York City by a group of theatre artists under the direction of Nicolas Coppola, and dedicated to preserve and present Classic Puppet Theater entertainment, with special emphasis on the hand-carved wooden Marionette. 338 Sixth Avenue at 4th Street Brooklyn, NY 11215 Reservations are required: Call 718-965-3391 Email: [email protected] EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 41 KIDS Fun Page 42 EMPIRE STATE MAGAZINE Fall 2007 LUNCH SPECIALS: HALF A SANDWICH W/A CUP OF SOUP FOR $7.95